William f



(No Model.)

. W'. I. GRASSLER.

AUTOMATIC PIPE GOUPLING POR RAILWAY GARS.

N0. 383,288. Patented IVIaLy 22, 1888.

MMIII yN. Patins, mw-umugfapher, wnhingxm nrc,

' UNrrED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM F. GRASSLER, OF VILLIAMSFORT, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF THREE-FOURTHS- TO WILLIAM G. ELLIOT, OF SAME PLACE.

AUTOMATIC PIPE-COUPLING FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 383,288, dated May 22, 1888.

Application tiled December 15, 1887. Serial No. 258,010. (No model.)

To all whom, z' may concern:

Beit known that I, W ILLIAM F. GRAssLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Villiamsport, in the county ot' Lycoming and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usel'ul Improvements in Automatic Pipe-Couplings for Railway-Cars, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain novel imv provenients in automatic steanreouplers for use in heating railroad-cars, which improvements will be fully understood from the following description and claims, taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which- Figure l is a vert-ical longitudinal section in detail of part of one end of a railroadcar, showing in a side elevation one of my im proved automatic steamcouplers arranged be low a draw-bar and depending from the stirrup through which this bar plays. Fig. 2 is a vertical crossvsection through Fig. 1, taken in the plane indicated by dotted line :v fr thereon. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section taken centrally through my improveddevice, illustrating the steamecouplers opened, as they appear when cars are coupled. Fig. 4t a sectional detail showing the connection of the vertieally-inovable cylinder with the tapered npturned end of the steam-pipe, by which communication is established with a steam-generator and aser-ies of heaters. Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the said vertically-n1ov ableeylinder, showing its radial arms and the aperture which receives the flattened upper end of the conical portion ofthe steam-pipe.

Referring to the annexed drawings by letters, A designates the hed of a railroadcarriage, which may be the tender, the coach, or other car of a train.

B designates a coupling for connecting cars, which coupling may be of any of the wellknown varieties.

C designates the hanger or stirrup,which is rigidly secured to the car bed sills and adapted t0 support the front end of the coupling Band to allow the usual lateral play. Centrally secured tothe said stirrup O is a vertical cylindrical guide, D, which is rmly held by lateral braces a a, and in this guide O is allowed to play vertically acylinder, E, laterally,from the lower end of which extend rigid arms b b.

`(Shown clearly in Figs. 2 and 5.) Through the ends of these arms b b pass freely vertical rods b b', the beveled headed ends of which 55 are countersunk into the stirrup (Land on their lower ends below the arms b b nuts are applied. On these rods b' b are coiled springs b2 b2, which are compressed between the latcrally-projecting ends of the braces a a; of the 6o stationary guide D and the arms b Z of the verticallylmovable cylinder E.

G designates the enlarged body or hollow globe of a reversible steam coupler, I-I, the up per dat face of which impinges against the t5 tures d for admitting steam into the globe. 7o

The upper end, d', ofthe tapered nozzle G is partly round and partly flat, thus adapting it to enter a hole, cl2, of a corresponding shape, made through the lower end of the verticallymovable cylinder E, as shown in Fig. 5, and

on the screw-threaded end di of said nozzle a nnt is applied. By these means the nozzle G is rigidly secured to the verticallymovable cylinder, and the globe G is allowed to oseillate freely, but is steaintight about the noz- 8o zle, and by introducing a suitable wrench through an aperture, e, in cylinder Ethe nut therein can be conveniently turned andthe nozzle drawn upto its seat in the walls ofthe globe, thus compensating for wear and allowing the joints to be kept steam-tight.

rIhe steampipe G extends from the globe G at one end of a car to asimilar globe at the opposite end of the car and should eommunicate at suitable points with radiators located gc in proper positions inside ofthe car.

If desired, the pipe G" may be formed into coils or bends located beneath the car-seats, or other suitable system of warming may be adopted which forms no part of my present invention.

J J designate two cylindrical branches, the horizontal axes of which coincide and are at right angles to the vertical axis of oscillation of the globe G, as clearly shown in Figs. l and too 3 of the annexed drawings. rlhe branch or female portion, J, is screwed steam-tight into the globe G, and provided on its outer end with a Haring or bell m0uth,f, in the throat of which is asnitable annular packing, f', for a purposehereinafter explained.

Inside of the female branch,J,are three diaphragrns, Zr k k', and a conical valve, Z, which latter is seated in diaphragm k' and opens toward the globe G. The stem Z' ofthe Valve Z is guided in apertures th rough the diaphragms Ich, which latter are perforated for thc free passage of steam through them, as shown clearly in Fig. On the outer end of the valve-stern Z is an enlargement or buffer-head, Z2, between which and the inner perforated diaphragm, k, a spring, m, is coiled around the valve-stem. The object of this spring is to forcibly hold the valve Z to its seat when cars are uncoupled. The tubular male branch, J', which is also screwed steam-tight into the globe G diametrically opposite the female branch, J, is constructed. with a slightly beveled or tapered end and is provided internally with a cone-valve, n, adapted to open toward the globe G and to close against a. scat, n'. The stem n2 of valve n. passes through and is guided by adiaphragm, n, which is perforated like diaphragms k k in the female branch, J, to allow steam to pass freely through it. On the outer end of the valve stem at is an enlargement or buffer, at, which when unrcsisted will be caused to protrude more or less beyondthe male branch,J', by means of a spring,-p, coiled abontthe valvestem n2.

Just in rear ofthe enlargement or buffer n on valve-stem n2 apertures s s are made laterally through the male branch, J', as shown in Figs. l and 3, for allowing a free escape of steam from this branch when the valve n is open, as shown in Fig. 3.

All of the automatic steam-coiiiplers H are constructed alike and connected by a steampipe, G", as above described. On the bed of a locomotive-tender will be applied a similar steam-coupler' connected by a steam-pipe With a suitable steam-generator conveniently located.

It will be observed from the foregoing description that my improved automatic steampipe coupler is reversiblethat is to say, it is so applied beneath a car-bed that either the male branch,J',or the female branch,J,can be readily directed outward. Hence, a male branch on one car and a female branch on another ear can be adjusted in a moment, sothat a steam tight coupling of thepipes on the cars can be automatically effected when the cars are broughttogether. It Will also be observed that when one car is uneoupled from another that the valves in the male and female branches J J' will be closed steam-tight. Also, that when cars are coupled the valves in the branches which are coupled will be opened and the valves in the branches which are uneoupled will be closed, as shown in Fig. 3.

Itwill furthermore be observed that the coup- 1ers H are free to Oscillate about the perforated uptu rned ends of the steam-pipes G'-, and also to receive free vertical motion, thereby freely accommodating their movements to the movements of ears while in motion and in turning curves. Finally, it Will be observed that the joints between the globes of the couplers and the steam-pipes can always be maintained steam-tight by adjusting the nuts which secure the uptnrned ends of the steam-pipes to the spring-actuated cylinders E, which are vertically movable in the fixed guides D, as described.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and .desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a pipe-coupling for railway-cars, the combination ofthe main conducting-pipe terminating in an upwardly-directed tapering extension, G', provided with openings in its opposite sides, means for supporting the maln pipe, the globe G, fitted closely upon the extension G' and inclosing its recessed portion, the globe being adapted to rotate 'freely upon the vertical extension and provided With screw-threaded openings in its opposite sides, and the oppositely-projecting valved male and female branches screwed into the openings in the opposite side of the globe,whereby either the male or female branch may be directed toward the adjacent car, substantially as herein set forth.

2. In a pipe-coupling for steam pipes, the combination of the main stcampipe provided with a perforated tapering vertical portion, G', a vertical yielding suspension device to which the upper end of the portion G' is adjustably secured, a globe, G, vertically perforated for the passage of the vertical portion G', this portion G' forming a vertical pivot for the globe to turn upon, and the male and female branches attached to opposite sides of the globe G and communicating with the interior thereof.

3. In a coupling device for steam-pipes, the combination ot' the main steam-conducting pipe provided with a vertical perforated extension, as at G', a vertically-yieldingsuspension device for suspending the main pipe to the ear, and the reversible l'ioriZontally-arranged coupling H, comprising, essentially, the valved male and female branches, the said reversible coupling H being pivotally supported upon the extension G' ofthe main pipe and communicating therewith,substantiallyas described.

4. The combination, with a rigid tubular guide depending from the stirrnp of a carcoupling. a cylinder Working vertically in said guide and suspended by springs, a male and female reversible steam-pipe coupling having valves in its branches,and a conical perforated steam-pipe nozzle rigidly but adjnstably secured to said vertically-movable cylindcr,snb stantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

vWILLIAM F. GRASSLER. Witnesses:

I-I. I-I. BLAIR, R. C. CAMPBELL. 

